SPECIAL REPORT: Cellphone use may soon be allowed on U.S. flights

Cellphone use on planes could become reality

KTVU, Feb 17, 2013

OAKLAND, Calif. — A new change to the ban against using a cellphone
when flying could be coming soon, but there are some emerging
controversies over cellphone use on planes, including a possible health
risk.

Some European and Middle East airlines now allow personal cellphone use while flying outside United States airspace.

Onboard equipment solves navigation interference problems, but in the
United States the Federal Aviation Administration requires passengers
to turn off their cellphone for take-off and landing, only allowing
for airplane mode at altitude.

Regulators are poised to allow regular, in-flight cellphone use on domestic airline flights.

This has polarized some experts and passengers.

"I think it's a bad idea personally because we'll be listening to
everyone's gossip and their whole life story," said Karen Sager of Napa.

"I think the pros would be that if there's an emergency you can get hold of somebody," said Sonoma resident Lisa Carlsson.

Flight attendants worry no one would pay attention to cabin instructions.

And then there's another concern, passengers health.

"Looking at brain tumor risk and other kinds of cancer risk, I would
say it's a bad idea," said Joel Moskowitz, director of the University of
California, Berkeley's Center for Family and Community Health.

Moskowitz said cellphones radiate low power microwaves and that inside a
metal container, such as a jet fuselage, microwaves reflect and
amplify.

He said over-limit exposures are well documented in
container-like buses and trains -- exposures that are linked to health
effects.

"You're going to have very high exposures in certain
parts of that container and it's hard to predict even where those hot
spots, so to speak, occur" Moskowitz said.

But according to
author and U.C. Berkeley physicist Richard Muller the danger from these
things is so small that there are more important things to focus on
like crossing the street. Muller supports the use of cellphones on
planes.

"I think it's a great idea," he said. "I think it's time
we did it. The only downside is now I can't escape my cellphone when
I'm flying in an airplane."

Frequent flyers told KTVU they are eager for more in flight connectivity.

"I'd have access to a lot more emails than paying the outrageous fees for Wi-Fi on the plane," said Uwem Umontuen of Nashville.

"I think as long as it was kept to emails and text messaging that would be OK," said Taneha Lay, another Nashville resident.

Though, several new surveys by the airlines conclude that most passengers want solitude.

"It's a nice quiet environment to do work, I don't want to hear people talking on their phone" said Amy Heiserman of Denver.

So far no U. S. airline has asked for the FAA to allow in flight cellphone calls, but that day could be coming.